Class Reunion I
by robertwnielsen
Summary: Summary – Caitlin receives an invitation to her 10-year high school reunion, and Hawke volunteers to go with her.  Could this be the night that Hawke finally pulls his head out of his behind about her?


_Class Reunion I_

A/N – This is a one-shot story that was suggested to me by Starclipper01 – this will have no effect on the "What Now", "Musings," or "Love Will Turn You Around" stories that I'm currently working on. I'm going to do two versions of this story – one where Caitlin and String are not a couple (this one), and one where they are. For a time reference, this story is set near the end of the third season.

_Disclaimer – _As usual, the main characters aren't mine – they're either Bellisario's or Universal's – but since they don't play with them anymore, I'm letting my imagination play with them.

_Summary – _Caitlin receives an invitation to her 10-year high school reunion, and Hawke volunteers to go with her. Could this be the night that Hawke finally pulls his head out of his behind about her?

"Oh, swell," Caitlin mused out loud as she thumbed through the morning mail. There, mixed in with the advertisements and bills, was an envelope from Tom Landry Senior High School's Reunion committee. "I'd almost forgotten it's been 10 years already. Well, I wonder how I'm gonna get out of _this one?" _She thought with a chuckle. She could escape kidnappers, Russian MiGs _(in Airwolf, of course, _she added), even crazy sheriffs and their deputies, but she had a foreboding feeling of dread that somehow, her high school reunion would prove harder to get away from than all of the previous dangers combined.

"What's got you down, Caitlin?" Stringfellow Hawke asked her later, as he'd noticed she had been quiet all afternoon. _Too quiet for her, _Hawke mused to himself. _Something's wrong. Really wrong._ "Want to talk about it?"

Caitlin was surprised at the last question – Hawke actually seemed to show concern about her moods. _He's never done that before, _a voice in the back of her mind seemed to be saying. _I wonder if..._ She had to bite her lip as the thought crossed her mind yet again – that Stringfellow Hawke was somehow interested in her as more than just a friend, like she wanted him to be. Aloud, she said, "Oh, it's nothing, String. Just an invite to my 10-year high school reunion, that's all."

"So you going?"

"I don't know. I doubt it, though. I never did fit with the "in" crowd in high school," she admitted. "They were always interested in boys, and sports; and whatever they did on Friday nights after the games. Me, all I could think about was flying," she admitted.

_Which doesn't surprise me in the least, _Hawke thought with a slight smile. He could not have imagined Caitlin as a member of the "in" crowd. _Just like I was at that age, she was an outsider, _he mused, and remembered his own high school days. Like Caitlin, he'd been more interested in flying than anything – except for cello music and the military. _Talk about an odd combination, _String thought, stifling a laugh.

"Guess we had that in common then," String chuckled. "I wasn't exactly with the "in" crowd back in those days, either; whatever the heck that meant. If you _did_ decide to go, would you be traveling alone? Or would you want some company?" Caitlin did a double take, surprised at the last part of Hawke's question.

_What does he mean, 'would you want some company?', _Caitlin thought. _Surely, he can't be saying...nah. That would be wishful thinking,_ she had to admit. Aloud, she said, "I guess that would depend on who the company was, String," and she hoped her expression didn't betray what she truly felt.

"What about, _me?"_

_Okay. Who in the heck is this guy, and what has he done with my String? _Immediately, Caitlin realized her Freudian slip, and said a silent prayer of thanks that she hadn't uttered that question out loud. _He's not really 'my' String, in any sense of the word, _Caitlin thought, as a twinge of sadness crept into her mind. She quickly brushed it off, saying, "You have got to be kidding me, String. _You _would actually consider going with me to my high school reunion? Seriously?" She caught herself again, before she let her _"my String" _thought of a few moments ago slip out.

"Maybe. When is it?"

"Let's see. Not for a couple of months yet – looks like July 9th is the main gathering...I have to RSVP in the next 3 weeks, though. So, at least it gives me some time to think about it," Caitlin said with a smile.

"Well, if you decide to go, and you want some company, let me know," Hawke said and quickly strode away, leaving Caitlin watching him, dumbfounded.

_This has to be some kind of joke, _Caitlin thought as Hawke walked away. _Why would he even act interested in coming with me? He's never, **ever** expressed interest in meeting anybody I know. What has gotten into him?_

As he walked away, Hawke thought, _Well, I got you thinking, at least, Caitlin. The question is – what exactly are you thinking about? _Hawke couldn't decide who had been more surprised when he suggested that they go to her reunion together._ Why in the heck would I suggest something like that? _He wondered, confused both at his action and the emotions which swirled around inside his head. A mixture of interest, curiosity, and, a feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on boiled in his brain. _And, it's the third one that's really got me confused, _he grumbled inwardly. _Caitlin's my friend, somebody I work with. And, _he had to admit in his mind, _somebody I care about. More than I think she really knows. _He didn't know when it happened, but he'd found that he'd started caring more about her in the last few weeks than he had in the entire two years that she'd been working with him at the hangar. And not just caring the way friends cared about each other.

_Caring in other ways, too; _he admitted quietly. _And, I think Caitlin cares about me the same way. At least, that's the feeling I get when I've been around her lately. But, what would be wrong with two friends going to one's high school reunion together? _He thought, and was surprised when the answer came back. _Nothing. And maybe, something interesting could happen. _He decided that if Cait did decide to go to the reunion, he would go along. _Might be interesting to learn what she was like at that age, _Hawke chuckled to himself. _Might not be a bad idea at all, getting to know her better. Well, the ball's in her court, now, I suppose. We'll just have to see what happens, I guess._

**Two weeks later...**

"Hey, Caitlin?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you have to be getting back to your reunion committee? You decide what you're gonna do yet?" String had decided to let her make the decision about whether she was going or not, and then, he would make his decision about what he had said before.

"That all depends," she said, a strange gleam in her eye.

"On what?" String figured he already knew the answer, but he was letting Caitlin call the shots on this one. _After all, _he thought, _they're __**her **__classmates._

"On you," she answered him truthfully. "That offer for company still good? I figure if I'm gonna go, I might as well have a good-looking guy on my arm," she smiled sweetly at him. "Even as just a friend," she hastily added, as she prayed that her face didn't look as red as she thought it did.

Hawke had caught her comment, and reacted about the way Caitlin figured he would. "Sure, the offer's still good. What would be wrong with two friends going to one's high school reunion together? I mean, if the roles were reversed, you'd come with me, right?" He asked, curious to find out her answer.

Caitlin pursed her lips and thought about her answer for about five seconds, then she smiled that million-dollar smile of hers and said, "Sure, I'd go. I've always wondered what you were like as a kid, Hawke. I think it might be fun for us to get to know each other better. What about you?"

_When in the heck did she learn how to read minds? _Hawke thought, stunned that she had articulated the very thought that had crossed his mind about her not too long ago. "Yeah, I think so too," he answered honestly. All the same, Hawke wondered what made Caitlin's eyes gleam so brightly when he'd asked her if she was thinking about going. _What am I getting myself into? _He thought, not altogether convinced he wanted to know the answer.

"You know, for a guy who flies a supersonic attack chopper, and has gone nose-to-nose with Russian MiGs, you looked absolutely _terrified," _Caitlin teased Stringfellow later that afternoon, after she had mailed off the RSVP portion of her invitation, saying that she and a guest would be attending. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?" She prayed that he wasn't, as she was looking forward to spending a little time with him, away from the hangar, Airwolf, and everything. _Maybe, just maybe; I'll find out where his head's really at about me, _she thought excitedly, _and whether or not we'll ever be anything more than just good friends._

"Nah, I'm not having second thoughts, Cait," Hawke replied, unsure of how truthful that statement really was. "But it does make me nervous, being in a room full of people I hardly even know; and who knows what they're going to think about me," he continued, and made sure he left out a thought that had suddenly crossed his mind. _Especially me and you._

"Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little concerned about that, too," she admitted. "I mean, I wasn't exactly known as a guy magnet in high school, at least, not the way some of my friends were. But, I'm sure it'll all work out," she concluded. _At least, I hope it does, _she sighed to herself.

Hawke had to stifle a chuckle when Caitlin admitted,_ "I wasn't exactly known as a guy magnet in high school..." _But then he caught himself thinking, _What, were all the guys in your class __**blind**__ or something? _Hawke couldn't comprehend Caitlin not having scores of boyfriends in high school, _especially if she was half as attractive then as she is now, _he admitted to himself. _Whoa. Wait just a doggoned minute. Where the heck did __**that**__ come from? Since when do I find Cait attractive?_

He had to admit, to himself if nobody else, _Practically since the day I met her two years ago. _Even though Dominic was away on vacation, Hawke could almost hear him saying, _Face it, String. You've got it bad for Cait. And, __**you know it.**_

_Whatever you say, Dominic. Whatever you say._

A few days before the reunion, Caitlin and Hawke left on a plane bound for Texas. They had agreed that they would stay in separate rooms, since they were going as friends. _That just wouldn't be right, _Hawke thought as he got comfortable in his seat before the plane took off. _At least...not yet. _Aloud, he said, "Cait. I hope you're still okay with me coming along. You've been nervous all day."

Caitlin glanced over at him and answered him as honestly as she could. "String, if I wasn't okay with you coming with me, I wouldn't have suggested it. So just relax, and let's enjoy a few days together, okay?" Internally, though, she was a lot more conflicted than she let on. _What's gonna happen when we get to the actual reunion? _She thought anxiously. _Well, maybe I should take my own advice, _she sighed, _and just relax. It's not often I get Hawke all to myself for a few days. Or, is that part of the problem? _She couldn't reconcile her own thoughts, much less the physical impulses that seemed more intense today than they had been for a long time. _What on earth is wrong with me?_

The night of the reunion, Hawke made sure to allow plenty of time for Caitlin to get dressed, as he was able to slip into his tuxedo in a few minutes after he took a shower. Twenty minutes later, he heard a knock at his door, and opened it to a vision of loveliness he never expected to see. Caitlin was dressed in an emerald green ankle-length gown, with a slit up one side, which showed off a very shapely leg, along with green high heeled pumps. Hawke thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his skull. "Caitlin, you look, you look fantastic." _'Fantastic' doesn't even begin to cover it,_ Hawke thought, even as he tried to avert his eyes from her leg that was visible through the slit in her gown. _She's beautiful. _Hawke felt like he was seeing his good friend in a whole new light. _And there's that feeling again., the one I can't place,_ he added.

"Thanks, String. You don't look half bad yourself," she commented. _Oh, who am I kidding? He looks positively gorgeous. I definitely won't be taking my eyes off him tonight,_ she thought, trying to hide her smile.

Hawke remarked as they walked to the elevator, "Boy, am I gonna have trouble keeping the other guys away from you tonight, Cait. And, I don't care what you say—they _will_be staring at you. If they aren't, they're either complete idiots, or blind." Hawke thought he saw a slight tinge of red color Caitlin's fair skin, and had to bite his tongue to keep from saying, _Why can't you learn to accept a compliment, Cait? Especially from me. _He thought about something that had been bothering him ever since he first volunteered to come with Caitlin—that third feeling that was swirling in his mind. He knew he had an interest in Caitlin, even if only a friendly one, and had been curious to know what she was like as a teenager in high school, but he had yet to figure out what that third emotion was. As they exited the elevator and headed for the ballroom, where the reunion was being held, Hawke thought he might have an idea what that third emotion was. _But if it's not reciprocated, it'd destroy our friendship, and that's the last thing I want, _Hawke mused. _So, I'll be quiet. Which is what she probably expects me to do, anyway._

Caitlin had been watching String all the way from their rooms, looking for some indication of how he felt, but his face remained that nearly impenetrable mask she had come to know so well. _I'll just have to try and help him relax, _Caitlin thought, _but that's not going to be easy. I mean, I'm glad he's here with me, and all, but I'm just so, so what? Worried? Yeah, I'm worried. I'm worried that I'm falling in love with String, that's what I'm worried about. And something else – I'm worried that he doesn't feel the same way. I mean, it's not like he's ever showed any interest in me, __at least, not__until now. And, __I don't know what I'd do if he doesn't feel the same way about me, as I do about him. Well, there's no point in letting these darned feelings ruin this time we have together,_ she thought, making sure her arm was linked with Hawke's as they entered the ballroom.

"_Caitlin? Caitlin O'Shannessy? I am __**so **__glad you could make it!" _Caitlin was jolted out of her reverie by the voice of her dearest friend, Trish Callen. Trish, a tall, attractive brunette, had been one of the few girls who seemed to be as interested in flying as Caitlin was. "_Trish Callen? Good grief, you haven't changed one bit!" _Caitlin was awestruck at just how similar her best friend looked to the day they graduated, ten years ago.

"Actually, it's not Callen anymore. Now, it's Trish Ahrens...got married right after high school... after..."

"After what, Trish? Come on, you can tell me. We used to tell each other _everything..._remember?"

"Okay, Cait. After...I had my baby. Her father, Jason Ahrens, was the quarterback of Sam Houston High...remember how I always disappeared after the games? Well...I was with Jason. We thought we were being smart, but one night, things got a little heated too quick, and the next thing I knew, little Marie came along."

"Marie?"

"Our daughter. She's ten now. She's actually sick, so Jason decided to stay home with her. But enough about me, Cait. _W__hen _are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Oops. Sorry. Trish Ahrens, Stringfellow Hawke." Caitlin watched as Hawke shook her best friend's hand and said, "Pleased to meet you, Trish. So, you and Cait were friends?"

"Friends? More like sisters, back in the day. Like I said, we used to tell each other _everything, _especially where boys were concerned. Which makes me wonder why she never mentioned _you, _Mr. Stringfellow Hawke."

"Well, we've only known each other for about two years, Trish. We work together, at a small air service back in California where we both live."

"And, you two are...together?"

_Oh, God! _Caitlin knew her face had turned three shades of bright red. _This is **exactly **what I was afraid of. _Aloud, she said, "No, Trish. Hawke is my friend, and my co-worker. Nothing more, nothing less." When Hawke heard Caitlin try to explain their relationship, he thought he detected a twinge of sadness in Caitlin's voice when she had said, "nothing more, nothing less." _Probably just my imagination, _he thought, surprised at the emotions his thought generated within him. "Well, good to see you again, Cait. Mr. Hawke, again, it was a pleasure to meet you," Trish finally said.

"The same," Hawke answered politely, then took Caitlin's arm and the two of them moved further into the ballroom. Suddenly, Cait saw a woman she knew would be trouble, and steered String in the opposite direction, as quickly as she could.

"What's the problem, Cait?" Hawke asked as Caitlin pulled him in a completely opposite direction.

"Oh, just saw somebody I didn't particularly like," Caitlin admitted, casting an angry glance back towards another stunning redhead. "Cathy Miller – probably the closest thing to a human barracuda I ever met in my life. Always stole everybody else's boyfriends, including guys I might have been interested in," Caitlin sighed. "We never did get along, and I would just as soon not talk to _her _tonight." Just then, another voice sounded behind Caitlin.

"Caitlin? Caitlin O'Shannessy? You haven't changed one bit!" This voice sounded decidedly masculine, and Caitlin turned around to find herself staring into the eyes of Brian Haverman, one of her first crushes in high school. "Brian? Brian Haverman? Wow, you haven't changed, either!" Caitlin admitted as she gave Brian a friendly embrace. "Brian, this is my friend, Stringfellow Hawke," Caitlin hurriedly introduced them, and as Hawke shook hands with him, Brian said, "Hawke. Interesting name. I have the strange feeling I've heard that name somewhere before. You have any brothers or sisters?"

"One brother, but he was older than me," Hawke replied. "He's missing in action from Vietnam."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Hawke. I'm military myself—82nd Airborne. Joined up right after high school—I figured it would be a good way to see the world. So, you're ex-military, then?"

"Yeah, Saint John and I were both 1st Air Cav. Went down on the same mission, as a matter of fact," Hawke admitted, growing slightly melancholy as he recalled the incident. "Well, Brian. It was a pleasure to meet you," Stringfellow said, and shook hands with him again. "Maybe sometime we can swap military stories?"

"Yeah. I might like that, Stringfellow," Brian admitted. Well, I think my wife is looking for me, but let's hook up later and swap some of those stories, huh?"

"Sounds good, Brian," Hawke smiled, and Caitlin looked decidedly shocked. "Well, you seemed to hit it off nicely," she commented. "Guess having that military thing in common helped, though, huh?"

"Yeah, Caitlin. We're all brothers in arms...no matter where we served, when we served, or **how **we served."

Later, after they had met a few of Caitlin's other classmates, and gotten something to eat, Caitlin and Hawke were on the dance floor, just enjoying being with each other, even as just friends. But, something just didn't feel right to Hawke, as they danced there together. Just then, the band began to play John Lennon's _Imagine, _and Hawke found himself concentrating on the lyrics, especially the line that said, _ "Imagine there's no heaven..."_

_Now I know that's not true, _Hawke thought as the words echoed in his ears. _For me, heaven is right here – Caitlin. And now I know why Cait was so nervous about me coming with her,_ Hawke thought, as he recalled Cait's reaction when Trish had asked if the two of them were together. _And how disappointed Cait sounded when she told Trish we were just friends. I wonder...does Cait wish we were more than friends?_ Hawke asked himself. Suddenly, he knew what that third emotion was that had been bugging him ever since before they came. "Love," he sighed, looking deep into Caitlin's blue-green eyes.

"Excuse me, String? What was that you said?"

"Sorry, Cait. I was just thinking out loud—I've had three feelings buzzing in my head for the longest time. One was the feeling of friendship that I've had ever since I met you, and the second was sincere curiosity about you—what you were like in high school, for example, which is why I said I'd come with you for tonight."

"That's only two feelings, Hawke. What was the..." _Oh, my. Does he mean what I think, no, what I _**hope**_ he means? _

"The third feeling you had, was, _love? _As in—?"

"Yeah, Caitlin. As in, I love _you. _And I have for a long time. I was just always so afraid to admit it, for a lot of reasons. Even more than the curse that I always thought I had, though. I was afraid to admit it, because I don't know how you feel about me. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, but I thought you needed to know that." He smiled a thin, nervous smile as he studied her face, waiting for her reaction.

_What did he say?_ When Caitlin found her voice again, she stammered, "String? D-did you just say that you—_love me?_" She felt tears flood her eyes.

"Yeah, Cait. I said it. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, I've fallen in love with you," Hawke repeated, and hoped he wasn't about to have his heart smashed into a billion pieces.

"String, I, _I love you, too. _And I'm _in love _**with **you. I have been since practically the first day I met you," Caitlin whispered, as she felt the tears flow unbidden down her face. Finally, she saw Hawke lower his face towards hers, and felt something she had quite honestly never expected to feel again—a deep, tender, and loving kiss, just like the one they had shared on the movie set some two years ago. _Except this time, it's all for real, _she shouted in her mind, as she felt her arms tighten around him, and his arms tighten around her in return.

As the song ended, String automatically released the kiss, as he heard an eruption of cheers and wolf whistles. "Somehow, I don't think that's all for the band," Hawke admitted, more than slightly embarrassed.

Caitlin looked around, then looked back at String and replied, "I think you're right, but, I don't care," as she gazed up at him. "Do you know how long I've waited to hear those words from you, String?"

"I think I've got a pretty good idea," he answered, as he looked down to her with that familiar boyish grin of his. "Like I said, I've just always been afraid to tell you; more because I didn't know how you felt about me than anything," he admitted. "But, now we know, so the question becomes, where do we go from here?"

_I know where I'd _**like **_to go, _Caitlin mused, but aloud she said, "String, wherever we go, let's go together, okay?" Her eyes spoke volumes about the feelings she had held in her heart for so long.

"That's a promise, Cait. That's a promise," String answered, and he knew that their lives would never be the same again. "But I have to tell you—you're going to have to be patient with me. I mean, you know how I can get sometimes—my worry about the curse I always seemed to think I have, and everything."

"I know, String," Caitlin said as she snuggled closer to him, "and I understand. And I promise you this—I will always be here for you...if you ever need somebody to talk to, or just to listen to you, I'll be here for you; always."

"And, I promise you the same, Cait. I will always, _always _be here for you. No matter what."

"Don't tell me somebody finally melted the Ice Queen?" A mocking voice sounded from behind Hawke. "This gal was always colder than the Siberian Outback."

"Who the heck is that, Cait?" Hawke felt all the good feelings he had just experienced being washed away in a flood of anger and frustration.

"Chad Ashburne. Always thought he was God's gift to women, and for some strange reason, _I _was the main object of his attention."

"Not strange to me, Cait," Hawke smiled warmly at her, "but I think somebody needs to set him straight," he continued, and turned to face the younger man.

Chad looked Hawke over, and sneered. "Cait, I'm surprised at you. You and I could have had perfect children; and you would have had everything you ever wanted, but it looks like you've decided to settle for somebody who wouldn't be fit to shine my father's Bentley." Caitlin gripped Hawke's arm in an effort to calm him, knowing what he was thinking.

"String, please. Don't. He's not worth it, trust me," she entreated.

"Caitlin. I'm worth more than ten of this guy, and you know it," Chad sneered.

"For your information, Chad, I already have everything I could ever want; right here," she replied, and glanced up at Hawke with a sweet, almost sexy, smile.

"Yeah. Maybe, but could this guy take care of you the way I could have? I'm not just talking emotionally here, I'm talking money, Cait. You never would have had to worry about anything for the rest of your life."

"I think I'll be just fine, Chad, so face it. It's _over. _If it ever even got started, that is; which really only happened in your mind. You think just because you've got more money than you'll ever be able to spend in your lifetime, that you should be entitled to whatever woman you want. Well, love doesn't work that way, Chad. At least, not with me." Caitlin turned with Hawke to walk away, but Chad persisted.

"So, Caitlin. Have you laid this guy yet? Or, does that come later?" Chad had raised his voice loud enough to get the attention of everyone in the ballroom. He sneered at Hawke, waiting to see if his insinuation had provoked any type of reaction.

Hawke's reaction came in the form of a quick left hook to Chad's jaw, which dropped him onto the floor like a rag doll. "For your information, loudmouth, what Caitlin does or doesn't do is none of your business. Oh, and by the way—I'm curious...do you happen to know the difference between a Monet and a Cézanne? I actually have several of each in my personal collection at home. I'd be happy to show them to you sometime...if you're interested, Ashburne." Chad was still gingerly testing his jaw to test if anything had been broken, but the message was clear—_Hands __off. _He quietly walked away, thinking to himself, _You'll pay for that, Caitlin. I promise you—if it's the last thing I ever do—you and your __so-called new boyfriend __will both pay for what he did. And what you did to me that night all those years ago. You haven't seen the last of me, Caitlin O'Shannessy. I promise you that!_

"Sorry about that, Cait. I just wasn't going to let him insult you that way," Hawke looked down sheepishly at her, embarrassed after the altercation.

"Oh, that's okay, String. If you hadn't slugged him after that last comment, _I _probably would have. Oh, and by the way...don't pay any attention to that "Ice Queen" crack, either. He was just jealous that I wouldn't give him what he really wanted," Caitlin replied, as she remembered what Chad really _had _wanted from her. _Of course, he never came close to getting it, _she thought to herself with a satisfied

smirk. _After the first time he tried, he learned his lesson—__at least, I thought he had, until just now__. _She remembered Chad trying to seduce her into a romp in the back seat of his Bentley, and how she had dealt with the situation—a quick left hook to the jaw, followed by a knee to the groin, settled that hash quickly—and, he had never bothered her again, until tonight. "Why he decided to start that up again, tonight, is totally beyond me," she admitted.

"Well, let's just forget about it, Caitlin. What happened in high school, well, it's the past. What I'm concentrating on right now," he grinned at her, that boyish grin that he knew she loved, "is the present, and you."

_String, you better be quiet, _Caitlin thought as she laid her head against Hawke's shoulder and tried to relax, _and quit giving me that boyish grin of yours, or Chad's little 'comment' just might come true tonight. _She knew she wanted him; she only wondered if he felt the same. _Well, maybe it's not the right time, _she thought, knowing she would have a hard time convincing herself of that. _After all, we only just confessed how we feel a little while ago. Yeah, it's a good idea to wait. _She smiled to herself and, as an afterthought, quietly added, _that would only make the first time that much sweeter._

Later that evening, after Caitlin and Hawke said goodbye to as many of Caitlin's classmates as they could, they stood in front of the door to Caitlin's room, neither one wanting the night to end. Finally, Caitlin opened her door and let Hawke come in, so they could say good-night to each other, properly.

The kiss was even more passionate than their first, downstairs on the dance floor, and Caitlin found herself wrestling with the decision she made a little while ago, as she felt the region between her legs growing warm and wet. As Hawke finally broke the kiss, she looked deep into his eyes, and said, "String? I...I don't want you to go."

"I have to, Caitlin," he answered her, and he saw her expression grow decidedly sorrowful at his statement. "No, Cait. You don't understand. It's not that I don't want you. I do. But, we only just decided to get involved romantically, and; I'm just not sure it's the right time yet." Caitlin felt a combination of shock and relief flow through her at those words—shock that Stringfellow had just voiced aloud the very same thought that she'd wrestled silently with downstairs, and then again when they kissed just a few moments ago, and relief that they both seemed to be on the same wavelength where the decision was concerned. "I understand, String. At least, my mind and my heart understand. Convincing my body, though, that's gonna be another whole bowl of wax," she chuckled, and flashed the smile that Hawke had already determined melted his heart.

"I understand, Cait. I'm not saying 'no,' just 'not yet,' he grinned, and kissed her deeply once again. Then, he slowly backed out of the room, and headed to his own.

_Well, I'm glad we're on the same page about that, _Cait thought to herself, relieved. _I just hope he doesn't think he's gonna make me wait until our wedding night. _**WHOA**_**. **Back up there, Caity girl. Where the heck did _**THAT**_come from? God, if Hawke knew what I thought just now, he'd turn tail and run faster than I could even blink._ Still, as she climbed into bed, she couldn't keep a vision of herself and Hawke, standing together on the dock of his cabin as they recited their wedding vows, out of her mind. _Maybe. Someday, _she smiled in the darkness of her room as she drifted off into the beginnings of sleep.

Hawke, meanwhile, had just climbed into his own bed, and was going over his last conversation with Caitlin in his mind. Part of him wondered why he had resisted, since it appeared to him as if they both wanted the same thing. But then, he realized that while they both did want one another, they also had only just begun this portion of their relationship, and he still had some issues he needed to work through—_it wouldn't be good at all, _Hawke reasoned, _for us to have sex, and then me decide to back away from her, like I'm sure she's afraid I might. And, I'm not so sure I wouldn't, either. And if she ended up _**pregnant** _because of it, well, that I just couldn't live with. _He chuckled to himself, as a thought crossed his mind. _She probably thinks that since we didn't do anything tonight, I'll make her wait until our wedding night, or something like that. _Hawke was startled at first when the words _"wedding night" _entered his mind, but he finally determined, _would it be so bad to marry her at some point? _He finally nodded off to sleep after a while, and found himself in the midst of a dream where he and Caitlin stood on the dock of the cabin, surrounded by her family and some of their closest friends, as they recited their wedding vows to one another. _But that's a ways off yet, _Hawke thought. _Then again, never say never._


End file.
